• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.224-236
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• 1998

A study was conducted to investigate the blood lead and zinc protoporphyrin(ZPP) concentrations of the underground parking lot workers who exposed to vehicular exhaust aerosols which contained lead. The blood samples were collected from 25 study subjects of underground parking lot and from 33 controls in Taegu, from July to October, 1997. And also the related factors to the blood lead and ZPP concentrations were investigated. Blood lead concentration and ZPP concentration were measured by flameless furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer (1L.551) and hemetofluorometer, respectively. The mean blood lead concentrations of study subjects and controls were $23.10{\pm}20.77{\mu}g/dl$ and $12.99{\pm}12.71{\mu}g/dl$, respectively(p<0.05), and the mean blood ZPP concentrations of study subjects and controls were $40.72{\pm}9.46{\mu}g/dl$ and $38.21{\pm}10.97{\mu}g/dl$, respectively. No significant correlations were observed between the blood lead concentration of the study subjects and their job duration and between blood ZPP concentration of the study subjects and their job duration. There were no statistically significant differences in the blood lead concentration and the blood ZPP concentration of smokers and nonsmokers. In multiple regression analysis on blood lead concentration of the study subjects and controls, occupation was a only significant dependent variable. In case of bood ZPP concentration, age was a only significant dependent variable in the study subjects and controls.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6521-6526
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• 2015

Background: This study aimed toanalyze the risk behavior for cervical cancer (CC) and the human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence and resolution among women who received care through the private healthcare network of a municipality in southern Brazil. Materials and Methods: This descriptive and retrospective study was conducted with 25 women aged 20 to 59 years who received care through the private healthcare network and were treated at a specialty clinic in the period from January to December 2012 in a municipality in Northwest Parana, Southern Brazil. Data from medical records with cytological and HPV results were used. Following treatment, these women were followed-up and reassessed after 6 months. Data were statistically analyzed using the t-test and chi-squared test at a 5% significance level. Results: The mean age of the studied women was $27.8{\pm}7.75$ years old, and the majority were married, with paid employment and were non-smokers. The mean age at menarche was $13.0{\pm}0.50$ years old, and the mean age at first intercourse was $17.5{\pm}1.78$ years, with only 8.0% (2) initiating sexual activity at an age ${\leq}15$ years old. The majority had 1 to 2 children (60.0%), while 88.0% reported having had one sexual partner in their lifetime, and all the women were sexually active. A total of 68.0% used a hormonal contraceptive method. All the women had leukorrhea and pain and were infected by a single HPV type. Regarding the lesion grade, 80.0% showed high risk and 20.0% low risk. The most prevalent high-risk HPV strain was 16. Conclusions: These findings provide relevant information on HPV risk factors and infection, as well as the treatment and 6-month follow-up results, in economically and socially advantaged women with no traditional risk factors, corroborating previous reports that different risk factors may be described in different populations. Thus, this study reinforces the fact that even women without the traditional risk factors should undergo HPVmonitoring and assessment to determine the persistence of infection, promoting early diagnosis of the lesions presented and appropriate treatment to thus prevent the occurrence of CC.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.97-106
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• 1990

1. Background Women's health and their involvement in health care are essential to health for everyone. If they are ignorant, malnourished or over-worked, the health &-their families as well as their own health will suffer. Women's health depends on broad considerations beyond medicine. Among other things, it depends upon their work in farming. their subordination to their families, their accepted roles, and poor hygiene with poorly equipped housing and environmental sanitation. 2. Objectives and Contents a. The health status of rural women : physical and mental complaints, experience of pesticides intoxication, Farmer's syndrome, experiences of reproductive health problems. b. participation in and attitudes towards housework and farming c. accessibility of medical care d. status of maternal health : fertility, family planning practice. induced abortion, and maternal care 3. Research method A nationwide field survey, based on stratified random sampling, was conducted during July, 1986. Revised Cornell Medical index(68 out of 195 items). Kawagai's Farmers Syndrome Scale, and self-developed structured questionnaires were used to rural farming wives(n=2.028). aged between 26-55. 4. Characteristics of the respondents mean age : 40.2 marital status : 90.8% married mean no. of household : 4.9 average years of education : 4.7 yrs. average income of household : \235,000 average years of residence in rural area : 36.4 yrs average Working hours(household and farming) : 11 hrs. 23 min 5. Health Status of rural women a. The average number of physical and mental symptoms were 12.4, 4.7, and the rate of complaints were 22.1%, 38.8% each. revealing complaints of mental symptomes higher than physical ones. b. 65.4% of rural women complained of more than 4 symptoms out of 9, indicating farmer's syndrome. 11.9 % experienced pesticide overdue syndrome c. 57.6% of respondents experienced women-specific health problems. d. Age and education of respondents were the variables which affect on the level of their health 6. Utilization of medical services a. The number of symptoms and complaints of respondents were dependent on the distance to where the health-care service is given b. Drug store was the most commonly utilized due to low price and the distance to reach. while nurse practitioners were well utilized when there were nurse practitioner's office in their villages. c. Rural women were internalized their subordination to husbands and children, revealing they are positive(93%) in health-care demand for-them but negative(30%) for themselves d. 33.0% of respondents were habitual drug users, 4.5% were smokers and 32.3% were alcohol drinkers. and 86.3% experienced induced-abortion. But most of them(77.6%) knew that those had negative effects on health. 7. Maternal Health Care a. Practice rate of contraception was 48.1% : female users were 90.9% in permanent and 89.6% in temporary contraception b. Induced abortions were taken mostly at hospital(86.3%), while health centers(4.7%), midwiferies(4.3%). and others(4.5%) including drug stores were listed a few. The repeated numbers of induced abortion seemed affected on the increasing numbers of symptoms and complaints. c. The first pre-natal check-up during first trimester was 41.8%, safe delivery rate was 15.6%, post-natal check-up during two months after delivery. Rural women had no enough rest after delivery revealing average days of rest from home work and farming 8.3 and 17.2. d. 86.6% practised breast feeding, showing younger and more educated mothers depending on artificial milk 8. Recommendations a. To lessen the multiple role over burden housing and sanitary conditions should be improved, and are needed farming machiner es for women and training on the use of them b. Health education should begin at primary school including health behavior and living environment. c. Women should be encouraged to become policy-makers as well as administrators in the field of women specific health affairs. d. Women's health indicators should be developed and women's health surveillance system too.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.289-299
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• 2007

Objectives : To investigate the related factors on musculoskeletal symptoms among Korean female workers. Methods : A total of 1,875 female workers (1,002 office workers and 873 blue-collar workers) was analyzed. They were randomly selected among female workers by cluster sampling and interviewed by well trained interviewer, who filled out a structured questionnaire on the musculoskeletal symptoms. Other factors such as general and occupational characteristics including workplace location, employment condition, work duration, and working condition were also investigated. Results : Current smokers and drinkers were significantly more common in blue-collar workers than in office workers. Those working full time were significantly more common in blue-collar workers than in office workers. Those working over 8 hours per day were also popular in office workers than in blue-collar workers. Subjective musculoskeletal symptoms were significantly higher in the type of work including excessive repetitive work, work using awkward stretching hand upwards, work using repetitive wrist movements, static work using awkward hand posture, and heavy manual lifting and handling works. The mean score of the symptoms were significantly higher in blue-collar than in office workers. The significantly different working factors between two groups were work duration, employment condition and daily work hours. Conclusion : We suggest that the type of work including awkward and repetitive works as well as job type may be one of the most important factors related to musculoskeletal symptoms of female workers in the workplace. Preventive strategy will be needed to prevent the negative impact on health status of working women in the workplace.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.193-215
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• 1991

This study is aimed at providing basic information applicable to setting up the education programs and strategies to prevent smoking among high school students by analysing smoking behavior and influencing factors. The samples consisted of 814 students, 557 parents and 362 teachers selected randomly from 8 high schools, one from each school district in Seoul. Date Analyses were made through Chi-Square test, Factor Analysis, One Way ANOVA, Multiple Regression, Correlation. SPSS/$PC^+$program was utilized. Smoking behavior (continuous smoking, re-smoking, ex-smoking, never smoking, daily smoking, occasional smoking) were used as dependent variables. Influencing factors (male students, habits, attitudes and knowledge toward smoking, home life, school life, juvenile delinquency, friendship, demographic parent's and teacher's recognition toward male students smoking) were used as in dependent variables. The major findings of the study are as follows : 1. The total smoking rate occupies 41.1% whereas the continuous smoking rate stands at 19.2%, re-smoking rate 9.5%, ex-smoking rate 12.4% and never smoking rate 58.9%. 2. The total smoking rate among high school students is significantly correlated with their monthly expenditures and type of school (p<0.001). The continuous smoking rate also shows the same tendency. As the length of butt get shorter, the current smoking rate increase. The duration of smoking is in proportion to its continuity. The major motive of smoking is curiousity whereas that re-smoking is to follow friend's behavior. The study shows that peer pressure is the most powerful factor influencing smoking behavior of students. Friends and fellow students encourage to pick up smoking and resume smoking even alter one stops smoking. 3. The correlationship between favorable attitudes toward smoking and the current smoking rate and its continuity is statistically significant(p<0.05, p<0.01, p<0.001). 4. The stability and harmony of family life and the current smoking rate show negative correlationship. The daily smoking amount of father is in proportion to the continuity of students' smoking. When parents are in favor of smoking, it is more likely that the experimental smoking rate increase the smoking rate increases, and vice versa. The more acceptable attitudes toward smoking among siblings is also one of the factors to increase the smoking rate and continuity (p<0.001). The more lenient the attitudes of parents toward their children's association with smoking friends, the higher the smoking rate. When students have difficulties in adjusting to school life, it is more likely that the current smoking rate and continuity increase. 5. The continuity of smoking and friendship are significantly correlated (p<0.05, p<0.01, p<0.001). 6. The continuity of smoking and juvenile delinquency are significantly correlated (p<0.001). 7. The difference in attitudes and smoking reasons of parents and students is significantly correlated to different smoking behavior (p<0.01, p<0.001). While smoking knowledge does not significantly influence their smoking behavior, it is noted that in the case of teachers, smoking reason (p<0.05), attitudes (p<0.001) and knowledge (p<0.05) strongly influence their smoking behavior. 8. There is a significantly correlation among the smoking reasons, attitudes and knowledge between students and parents(p<0.001). As for the correlationship between regularity and smoking amount and other influencing factors, the daily smoking amount is in proportion to depth of inhalation and duration of smoking, negative attitudes of parents unstability of family, dissatisfaction of family members, juvenile delinquency, strong smoking reasons and positive attitudes towards smoking. 9. In the case of daily smokers depth of inhalation is significantly correlated to the duration of smoking, juvenile delinquency, acceptability of parents, dissatisfaction of family members and smoking reasons. The duration of smoking motives is significantly correlated to juvenile delinquency, high acceptability of parents, strong smoking motive and positive attitudes toward smoking. 10. It is noted that 40% of parents and 30% of teachers do not recognize the significant correlationship between and the relative influencing factors mentioned above.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.66 no.2
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• pp.98-103
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• 2009

Background: Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (PLCH) is characterized by a proliferation of Langerhans cells and this results in granulomas that involve multiple organs of the body. Because the incidence of PLCH is very low in Korea and worldwide, collecting the clinical data of patients with PLCH nationwide is needed to determine the clinical features of Korean patients with PLCH. Methods: The patients with PLCH confirmed by biopsy at any body site were included and the patients should have lung lesions present. A questionnaire that had items on the symptoms, lung function tests, the roentgenographic findings and the treatment was collected retrospectively at a Korean ILD Research Meeting. Results: A total of 56 cases were collected. The number of males and females was 48 and 8, respectively, and their median age was 43 years (range: 18-67 years). The patients were current or ex-smokers in 79% of the cases. The most frequent symptom was coughing (39%), followed in decreasing order by dyspnea (38%), sputum (20%) and chest pain (20%). Pneumothorax was observed in 16 (29%) patients. Lung function tests showed a normal, restrictive, mixed or obstructive pattern in 26 (61%), 7 (16%), 7 (16%) and 3 patients (7%), respectively. Nodular-cystic lesion was most frequently observed in 59% of the patients on HRCT. The lung lesions were located in the middle and upper lobes in almost the cases. The median follow-up period was 90 months (range: 1-180 months) and only two patients died during this period. Conclusion: This study provides a national survey of the patients with PLCH during a long follow-up period.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.121-135
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• 2004

This study aims to analyze the oral health status of the elderly. Study subjects were 9,340 elderly aged over 65 who took the health examination (the first) for the local insured when the National Health Insurance Corporation carried out its survey from January to December, 2002. The subjects took an oral examination and filled in the questionnaire. Major results from the analysis are as follows: 1. Analysis of Oral Health Behavior For oral health behavior, 38.2％ of total subjects had visited a dental hospital (or clinic) in the last one year in the order of the elderly of big cities (48.3％), the elderly of medium cities (43.9％), and the elderly of rural areas (29.0％)(P<0.001). Elderly men had a higher rate than elderly women, and the younger age had a higher rate(P<0.01). For experience of oral prophylaxis, 12.3％ of the total elderly had experienced it in the order of the elderly of big cities (18.8％), the elderly of medium cities (16.0％), and the elderly of rural areas (6.4％) (P<0.001). For elderly men, the younger age had a higher rate of oral prophylaxis. The number of toothbrushing in order was twice(47.5％), once (26.7％), three times (25.0％), and none (0.7％). The younger age brushed their teeth more often (P<0.001). 2. Analysis of Oral Health Status The rate of caries was 10.6％ of the elderly surveyed. By area, the elderly of rural areas had a higher rate of caries than the elderly of cities (p<0.001) and elderly men were higher than elderly women (p<0.001). By age, many elderly aged over 80 had more than two caries. For missing teeth, the elderly of rural areas had a higher rate than the elderly of cities (p<0.001) and the older age had a higher rate(p<0.001). The rate of periodontal disease was 43.2％ of the total elderly. By area, the elderly of big cities (46.2％) had a higher rate of periodontal disease than the elderly of medium cities (39.4％) and rural areas (43.6％)(p<0.001), and elderly men (46.4％) were higher than elderly women (40.2％)(p<0.001). By age, the lower age had a higher rate of peridontal disease (p<0.001). Dental abrasion was observed in 16.9％ of the total elderly. The elderly of cities (21.0％) had a higher rate than the elderly of rural areas (12.0％)(p<0.001) and elderly men (21.3％) were higher than elderly women (12.8％)(p<0.001). Also the lower age had more dental abrasion symptoms (p<0.001). For needing a denture, the rate among the elderly was 48.5％ and was higher for the elderly of rural areas(20.9％), than the elderly of big cities(7.0％) and medium cities (10.5％)(p<0.001). For the rate of denture wearing, the elderly of rural areas(41.8％) were higher than the elderly of big cities (27.7％) and medium cities (28.2％ )(p<0.001). For the relation of drinking and smoking to oral health, the elderly who had a higher frequency of drinking, had a higher rate of caries (p<0.001)periodontal disease(p<0.001) and missing teeth(p<0.001) Smokers had a higher rate of caries (p<0.001), periodontal disease (p<0.05), and missing teeth (p<0.001) than nonsmokers.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.471-477
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• 2000

Background : Coughing is the most common complaint for which patients seek medical service. When caughing continues over 3 weeks in non-smokers who do not take cough-provoking drugs, they are classified as patients with chronic cough. Three well known main causes of chronic caugh are postnasal drip syndrome, bronchial asthma and gastroesophaseal reflux disease. Among them, postnasal drip syndrome is reported to be the most common cause of all in chronic cough diseases, and allergic inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of postnasal drip syndrome. CD23 and CD25 which are low affinity receptor for IgE and IL-2 receptor alpha, respectively, are closely related to allergic inflammation and their roles were evaluated in chronic cough patients. Methods : We evaluated 105 patients with chronic cough and selected 56 patients for measurement of serum CD23 & CD25 levels. We selected 10 normal, medical students for comparison of serum CD23 & CD25 levels. Result : The postnasal drip syndrome was found to be the most common cause of chronic cough. Serum CD23 and CD25 did not increase in chronic cough patient compared to normal controls. However in bronchial asthma patient, serum CD23 level was increased relative to normal control (p<0.05). Conclusion : In bronchial asthma presented as chronic cough, lymphocyte mediated allergic inflammation may related with the pathogenesis of the disease.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.5
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• pp.530-535
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• 2005

Background and Aims : Cigarette smoking induces an inflammatory response in the airways, which may play a key role in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is one of the cytokines that plays an important role in inducing bronchial inflammation. The aim of this study was to determine if the level of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, Interleukin-6, is increased when the bronchial epithelial cells are exposed to a cigarette smoke extract (CSE) and an extract from stop smoking-aiding cigarettes, and examined the safety of these commercially available stop smoking-aiding cigarettes. Method : Bronchial epithelial cells were exposed to CSE from cigarette and stop smoking-aiding cigarettes for 24 hours. ELISA was used to measure the IL-6 levels in the supernatant from each condition. The IL-6 mRNA levels were measured by Taqman Real time RT-PCR. N-acetyl-L-cysteine(NAC) was added to each condition to determine if NAC can inhibit the release of IL-6 from the bronchial epithelial cells when they are exposed to CSE from cigarette and stop smoking-aiding cigarettes. Result : When bronchial epithelial cells were exposed to a CSE from cigarettes and stop smoking-aiding cigarettes, each type of CSE stimulated IL-6 production from the bronchial epithelial cells. The IL-6 mRNA level in the Bronchial epithelial cells was also elevated and NAC was found to inhibit the release of IL-6 from bronchial epithelial cells when they were exposed to the CSE from cigarettes and stop smoking-aiding cigarettes. Conclusion : Commercially available stop smoking-aiding cigarette can induce bronchial inflammation and can be harmful to smokers. Therefore, the safety of these cigarettes for smoking cessation should be evaluated.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.35-61
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• 2003

Background： The purpose of this study was to develop a structured and individualized smoking prevention program for adolescents by utilizing a multimedia computer-assisted instruction model and to empirically assess its effect. Method： For the purpose of this study, a guide book of smoking prevention program for middle and high school students was developed as the first step. The contents of this book were summarized and developed into an actual multimedia CAI smoking prevention program according to the Gane ＆ Briggs instructional design and Keller's ARCS motivation design models as the second step. At the final step, the short-tenn effects of this program were examined by an experiment. This experiment were made for middle school and high school students and the quasi experimental design was the pretest - intervention - posttest. The measured data was attitude, belief, and knowledge about smoking, interest in the program, and learning motivation. Result： The results of this study were as follows： First, the guide book of a smoking prevention program was developed and the existing literature on adolescent smoking was analyzed to develop the content of the guide book. Then the curriculum was divided into three main domains on tobacco and smoking history, smoking and health, adolescent smoking and each main domain was divided into sub-domains. Second, the contents of the guide book were translated into a multimedia CAI program of smoking prevention througn Powerpoint software according to the instructional design theory. The characteristics of this program were interactive, learner controllable, and structured The program contents consisted of entrance(5.6％), history of tobacco(30％), smoking and health(38.9％), adolescent smoking(22.2％), video(4.7％), and exit(1.6％). Multimedia materials consisted of text(121), sound and music, image(still 84, dynamic 32), and videogram(6). The program took about 40 minutes to complete. Third, the results on analysis of the program effects were as follows： 1) There was significant knowledge increase between the pre-test and post-test with total mean difference 3.44, and the highest increase was in the 1st grade students of high school(p＜0.001). 2) There was significant decrease in general belief on smoking between the pre-test and post-test with total mean difference 0.28. In subgroup analysis, the difference was significantly higher in the 1st grade of high school (p<0.001), low income class (p<0.001), and daily smokers (p<0.01). 3) There was no significant difference in attitudes on his personal smoking between the pre-test and post-test. 4) The interest in the program seemed to lower as students got older. The score of motivation toward this prevention program was the highest in the middle school 3rd grade. Among sub-domains of motivation, the confidence score was the highest. Conclusion： To be most effective, the smoking prevention program for adolescents should utilize the most up-to-date and accurate information on smoking, and then instructional material should be developed so that the learners can approach the program with enjoyment. Through this study, a guide book with the most up-to-date information was developed and the multimedia CAI smoking prevention program was also developed based on the guide book. The program showed positive effect on the students' knowledge and belief in smoking.